1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems designed to hold stakes for use with flat bed vehicle bodies and, more particularly, to stake pockets useful for removably mounting stakes in such environments. Specifically, the present invention relates to an improved stake pocket holder adapted to fit stakes of differing shapes and in securing stakes in a wide variety of applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Stake pocket devices have long been used to mount and support stakes along the bed of a vehicle. Vehicles having open, unenclosed areas to accommodate loads of varying types and configurations are quite common. Examples of such vehicles include flat bed trucks, flat bed railroad cars, and even non-motorized horse-drawn wagons. Frequently, such vehicles have a rectangular bed which include a number of stake-receiving pockets positioned about the perimeter thereof. The stakes are elongated members positioned within the peripherally disposed stake pockets and are provided to restrain the load placed on the vehicle bed in the event the load shifts, and to prevent it from falling off the bed. In alternate embodiments, panels can be attached between the stakes to define sidewalls which serve to further contain the load being carried. Such panels are generally held in position by slots which are usually integral with and carried by the stakes, and into which the side ends of the panels fit.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 351,246, 623,042 and 1,436,513 illustrate early stake pocket designs utilized on flat bed vehicles and wagons. In such instances, the stakes were often rectangular in cross-sectional shape and individually sized to fit a particular stake pocket. Because of the wide variation in pocket sizes, a large number of individually sized stakes were required to fit the various different pockets. Consequently, devices were created to permit stake pockets to be adaptable to various size stakes such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,140,074, 3,764,177 and 4,427,230. Another alternate approach to the problem was to devise an entire vehicle bed with the stake pockets designed right into the bed such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,454,037. In virtually all of these instances, the stake pockets were generally rectangular in shape and, as previously indicated, of varying size. Moreover, the stake pockets were generally permanently mounted by bolting or welding.
In recent years, it has been highly desirable to produce stakes and stake pocket designs that are more uniform in size and shape. In many instances, it is desirable to utilize a stake which is annular in cross-section and, because of the above described prior art, are unfortunately not adaptable to the stake pockets presently on the market. Thus, there is still a strong need to create a stake pocket which is easily and removably mountable to a flat bed vehicle or other surface wherein stakes or posts are needed to be provided in a firm yet removable manner.